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Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 347, 14 August 1878, Page 4

A Bill introduced into the Legislative Council by Colonel Whitmore, to provide means for eradication of scab in sheep, is intended to take effect on Ist January, 1879, but within Auckland, Taranaki, 'Wellington, Nelson, and Marlborough, certain sections do not come into force till 1881. Amongst these, section 21 enacts that if an owner has several flocks on the same run, and one is infected, he will not be allowed to remove any sheep from his run for a period of three months after he has obtained from the inspector a clean certificate ; section 23 is to the effect that all scabby sheep must be branded with the letter S ; section 29, that no sheep may be driven through any infected run at the risk of penalties not exceeding £IOO ; and section 41 inflicts same amount as fine for driving infected sheep. The Auckland Herald, in an article on the Lion Mr Sheehan’s meeting with natives at Wanganui, and the desire expressed by Mete Kingi to establish a kind of Repudiation office, concludes: “ To seek to establish offices all over the country to find flaws m old titles, will be fraught with mischief to both races. The only absolutely secure title in that case, will be to the land taken from the natives by confiscation. Those occupying such land will be the only people who may not be held in terror of legal proceedings.” At the annual meeting of the Thames Gold Mining Company, the directors were able to report that during the past year, owing to the finds of gold in the Moanataiari and Albnrnia mines, in which the company has large interests, they had been enabled to pay dividends amounting to £4lOl, to make a reserve fnrid of £3OOO, and retain a balance to credit of £252 15s Bd, after payment of all current liabilities.

“ Agricola,” in a useful article on tree planting, says—Now, in planting out trees, tlie merits of the blue gum should not bo forgotten. It grows rapidly, and will adapt itself to almost any soil. The timber is of some value, and it is a very easy tree to cultivate. Once in the soil, it needs no further attention, being able to stand its ground against any quantity of weeds. It does not require to be protected, as do some trees; neither cattle, sheep, nor horses having any liking for it as food. The height that it obtains in a few years, is something extraordinary. Perhaps there is no tree that is such a rapid.grower, at least there is none that has been introduced into this country. Some time ago, the blue gum was introduced into Algiers, and there the average growth of a young tree is nineteen inches per month, a two-year-old tree being frequently twenty feet in height.